Specimen book

ABSTRACT

A holder for at least one specimen composed of a front cover, back cover and spine corresponding in appearance to a conventional hard-covered book and including secured between the covers an open top container and an overflap corresponding in size to the size of the open top in the container for positioning over the open top. The flap is provided with at least one aperture for viewing specimens in the container. Attached to the inside of the front cover are a plurality of pages bearing indicia relative to the specimen.

Unite n51 States Patent 1 l 11 3,755,925

Qourt Sept. 4, W73

[54] SPECIMEN BOOK 3,191,319 6/1965 Waisgerberm. r 35/49 368517 1972 F''h 3 i [76] lnventor: Arthur E. Court, 10 Hotaling Pl., 0 8/ alrlelg lSan Franmsco Cahf' 9411 1 Primary ExaminerHarland S Skogquist [22]Filed: May 15, 1972 Attorney-Stephen S. Townsend. Thomas F. Smegal. 21Appl. No.: 253,075 et [57] ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl 35/49, 281/29, 229/8 Aholder for at least one Specimen composed Ofa from [51] Int. Cl 865d5/00 cover, back cover and spine Corresponding in appear [58] Field ofSearch 35/35 E, 49, 53; ance to a conventional hard covered book andinclud 229/8; 281/29 ing secured between the covers an open topcontainer and an overflap corresponding in size to the size of the [56]References C'ted open top in the container for positioning over the openUNITED STATES PAT top. The flap is provided with at least one aperturefor 1,032,156 7 1912 Pearson 35 53 viewing specimens in the container.Attached to the inl,l43,729 6/1915 Schmidt 229/8 X side of the frontcover are a plurality of pages bearing 1,709,685 4/1929 Rothrock 229/8 Xindicia relative to the specimen, 2,538,085 l/l95l Cotton 35/35 H X 8Claims, 3 Drawing Figures SPECIMEN BOOK This invention relates to aholder for specimens such as fossils. More particularly, the inventionis directed to a container closely resembling a book in which one ormore fossils and indicia-bearing pages are disposed.

The prior art contains articles of manufacture wherein specimens areembodied along with pages bearing indicia in looseleaf or permanentlybound books; see for example, U. S. Pat. No. 3,191,319. The presentinvention is directed to a further improvement upon such existingstructures.

It is a principal object of this invention to provide aspecimen-displaying container.

A further object is to provide a container which is readily fabricated,yet attractive in appearance.

It is another object of this invention to provide a specimen holderconforming closely in outer appearance to a conventional hard-boundbook.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of anopen book constructed in accordancewith applicants invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the book of FIG. I in a fully closedposition.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the presentinvention.

Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, book includes a frontor top cover 12, a rear or bottom cover M, and a spine or back 16, as inconventional hardcover books. However, and as most clearly illustratedin FIG. 1, the space normally occupied by indicia-carrying pagesattached to spine 16 have been replaced with a rectangular shaped tray18 having a cover (overflap) 20 adapted to span the rectangular areacircumscribed by sides 22, 22, 22" and 22". Overflap 20 is provided withat least one aperture 24 through which specimen 26 can be observed whenoverflap 20 is positioned covering the area defined within tray 18.

Attached to the inside of cover 12 are a plurality of indicia-bearingsheets (pages) 28 describing the particular specimen or specimens 26being displayed. Sheets 28 are attached to the inside of cover 12 in aconventional manner, including gluing, or as illustrated in FIG. 3, byinsertion in a preformed pocket in the inside of cover 12. Spine 16 caneither be unattached to side 22 (as shown in FIG. l) or adhered alongits length to side 22.

Fossil 26 is either directly mounted to the bottom of tray 18 orattached to a separate mounting member (not shown) in a conventionalmanner and the mounting member inserted into the opening defined by thesides that form tray 18. Sides 22, 22' and 22" are preferably formed tohave an external appearance corresponding to the pages of a conventionalhard-bound book, either by a plurality of inked lines representing theedges of individual pages or in some other manner duplicating theappearance thereof.

In the modification depicted in FIG. 3, overflap 20, having twoapertures 24 for viewing two specimens 26, is provided with its ownseparate spine or back 30 of such a width that it corresponds to theheight of the sides forming tray 18 and enables overflap 20 to liecontiguous with the upper edges of the aforementioned sides. Illustratedinside cover 12 in FIG. 3 is the outline of a pocket 32 for insertion ofthe back cover of a plurality of pages of indicia. Providing overflap 20with a separate spine 30 enables the cover 12, spine 16, back 14, spine30 and overflap 20 to be fabricated from a single continuous piece ofmaterial, to which the lower edges of sides 22, 22', 22" and 22" areconventionally secured.

In operation, specimen 26 is inserted into tray 18 in such a manner thatwhen first overflap 20 is positioned over tray 18, specimens such asfossils 26 will be visible through opening (aperture) 24. Cover 12 isthen closed over overlay 20 so as to provide a unit having an outwardappearance similar to that of a conventional book, as illustrated inFIG. 2. The resulting compact unit can be stored on a book shelf.

Although two embodiments of this invention have been described in somedetail, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that theabove-identified invention is only limited by the scope of the appendedclaims.

What is claimed is:

l. A holder for at least one sample, comprising a rectangular shaped,open top container having a depth in excess of the height of said atleast one sample, said container having a bottom and at least a pair ofgenerally parallel opposed sides attached to said bottom; a firstoverflap having an edge attached along one of said opposed sides, saidfirst overflap generally corresponding in size to the size of said opentop of said container, said overflap being provided with a separatesample viewing opening for each of said at least one sample; and asecond overflap having an edge attached along the other of said opposedsides, said second overflap being larger than the open top on saidcontainer and corresponding in size to the bottom of said container,said second overflap adapted to overlie said first flap.

2. A holder in accordance with claim I wherein said first overflap isattached through a spine to said bottom.

3. A holder in accordance with claim 2 wherein said second overflap isattached through a spine to said bottom.

41. A holder in accordance with claim I wherein the dimension of saidbottom and second overflap are greater than said container and saidfirst overflap.

5. A holder in accordance with claim I wherein said at least one sampleis a fossil.

6. A holder in accordance with claim I wherein said container is furthercharacterized by two pairs of generally parallel opposed sides.

7. A holder in accordance with claim 1 and further characterized by aplurality of indicia supporting leaves attached to said second overflapso as to be positioned between said first and second overflaps when saidsecond overflap overlies said first overflap.

8. A holder in accordance with claim 7 wherein one of said leaves isretained in a pocket in said second overflap.

1. A holder for at least one sample, comprising a rectangular shaped,open top container having a depth in excess of the height of said atleast one sample, said container having a bottom and at least a pair ofgenerally parallel opposed sides attached to said bottom; a firstoverflap having an edge attached along one of said opposed sides, saidfirst overflap generally corresponding in size to the size of said opentop of said container, said overflap being provided with a separatesample viewing opening for each of said at least one sample; and asecond overflap having an edge attached along the other of said opposedsides, said second overflap being larger than the open top on saidcontainer and corresponding in size to the bottom of said container,said second overflap adapted to overlie said first flap.
 2. A holder inaccordance with claim 1 wherein said first overflap is attached througha spine to said bottom.
 3. A holder in accordance with claim 2 whereinsaid second overflap is attached through a spine to said bottom.
 4. Aholder in accordance with claim 1 wherein the dimension of said bottomand second overflap are greater than said container and said firstoverflap.
 5. A holder in accordance with claim 1 wherein said at leastone sample is a fossil.
 6. A holder in accordance with claim 1 whereinsaid container is further characterized by two pairs of generallyparallel opposed sides.
 7. A holder in accordance with claim 1 andfurther characterized by a plurality of indicia supporting leavesattached to said second overflap so as to be positioned between saidfirst and second overflaps when said second overflap overlies said firstoverflap.
 8. A holder in accordance with claim 7 wherein one of saidleaves is retained in a pocket in said second overflap.